The Last Moment of Childhood
by VampireLibrarian
Summary: Dustin has been invited to a science convention in Peoria but what he doesn't know is what surprises are in store for him there.


"But will you be back before the Halloween dance? You and I are the only two of our group going stag. I'm not going if you aren't back." Will asked Dustin as they walked out of the school. "I don't think I could handle standing there all by myself in the open while the others are all … you know."

Dustin rolled his eyes as they continued towards their bikes. "Of course I'll be back. The conference starts tomorrow and the bus will bring me back Saturday morning. We'll have more than enough time to get rested up and ready to rock that dance all night." Dustin watched Will relax a little bit as they pedaled off towards home.

"Dusty, did you pack the extra clean underwear I put on your bed?"

"Mom! REALLY?! I'm fourteen which is almost a full grown man! I think I know how much underwear I need for a four day trip." He yelled back as the threw the extra underwear into his bag.

His bedroom door opened. "No, I'll tell you that you're not even close to being a grown ass man, Henderson." Steve stood there spinning his bird keychain that Robin had given him for his birthday as a joke. "Are you ready to go yet?" He motioned for him to hurry up. "Your mother's date just got here and he looks like a Bee Gees reject."

"FUCK! I'm not even out of the house and Tony the creeper rolls up." He grabbed his bag. "Let's go before she starts baby talking to him like she does on the phone when she thinks I'm asleep." He gagged slightly as Steve laughed behind him.

They passed by Tony as they headed towards the door. "Dusty, did you grab your snack out of the fridge?" She smiled at him and he knew he was being a brat.

"Thanks, Mom, I almost forgot." He grabbed the lunch bag and a soda, gave his mom a kiss on her cheek, and then walked out to Steve's car.

"You ok, Henderson?" Steve started the car.

"Yeah, I know she deserves to be happy. I just wish she didn't find the one guy who looks like a reject from 'Saturday Night Fever'. I mean I guess he's ok it's 1985. Get with the times, dude!" Steve just nodded as he let Dustin find a song on the radio.

They pulled up at the bus station and Steve turned to Dustin like a big brother. "Ok checklist time. Bus ticket? Check. Bag with extra clean underwear?" Check. Bus snack and extra drink? Double check. Ok, Henderson, now what is the topic of your experiment?"

"What is required to strengthen the hardness of iron while minimizing the brittleness factor and how would this contribute to the stability of bridges built over salt water?" Dustin smirked as Steve just blankly stared at him. "You look confused."

"There are dudes with multiple PhDs who would be confused with what you just said." Dustin laughed and shook his head. "What time do I need to be here Saturday to pick you up?"

Dustin looked at his ticket. "Bus gets here at 9:05 am Halloween morning. That will free you up to go out Halloween night with that new girl who works at Sam Goody."

"Whatever, Henderson!" He said as the stuffed ten dollars in the side pocket of Dustin's bag. "Ok I'll be here at 9 am waiting on you, Dusty!" He laughed as Dustin slammed the door, flipping him the finger as he turned to get checked in.

Dustin walked into the hotel lobby and just wanted to get to his room and take a shower after spending 3 hours on a bus with no air conditioning. He wasn't paying attention to any of the kids loitering around the lobby. He had a mission so when he heard her voice, he really thought he was dreaming. "Dusty Bun, is that you?"

He spun around to see her, the most beautiful girl in the whole room, Suzie. "Suzie?" He dropped his bag and ran to hug her. "You got an invite and didn't tell me? I was so excited to get mine that it's all I talked about for three weeks. I was sure you got tired of hearing me talk about it."

"I got my letter the next day and I just wanted to surprise you. Thought we could have a wonderful couple of days without our friends around to disrupt us." Her eyes twinkled as she talked to him. She had other surprises for him that she was not yet ready to talk about, hoping that he would love them as much as she did planning all of them.

Suzie broke their hug as Dustin continued to smile at her. She smelled so good which just reminded him of how horrible he probably smelled after that bus trip. "Let me get my room key and registration packet. I'm gonna take a shower, change my clothes, and then maybe we can meet up for dinner." He hinted and truly hoped she would be free. She nodded and smiled bigger as she turned to join the other members of the convention. Seeing Suzie just made him a little more relaxed with being away from his friends.

He got off the elevator and finally made it into his room. He noticed that the air conditioner was already cranked on high and there was someone else's bag on the bed closest to the window. He sighed as he dropped his bag on the first bed. "Well, shit! I got stuck with a damn roommate!" He dug through his bag to find his shower kit. "Hopefully he's not a complete asshole!" Dustin shook his head as he walked into the bathroom.

"Suzie Poo, thank you for not telling me you were going to be here. I think this is just what we needed." He took another bite of the sundae they were sharing as she smiled.

"I figured not telling you made it easier for me not to tell my parents you were going to be here." She took a bite of the ice cream and looked out at the pool shimmering in outside. "They would have never let me come here by myself if they knew you were going to be here. My dad found my journal where I write and he read some of the adventures that I had written about you and me if we were in the land of hobbits and he didn't approve." She just shook her head. "I don't care what they think or if they approve. I love you, Dusty Bun."

Dustin touched her face to make her look at him. "I love you too, Suzie, but I don't want to cause a problem for you at home. I mean I live in Illinois and you live in Utah so it's not like we get to see each other all the time. Did you explain to your dad that they were just stories? Fantasies that can't come true? I mean we're never going to be hobbits on a quest." He laughed as she smiled.

"Yeah and that is the only way my mom was able to talk him down from trying to marry me off to someone from the church. I mean he was wanting to arrange a marriage for me to one of the 'good Mormon boys he could trust with his daughter.' My mother told him to calm down and that my journal was just me expressing myself in a way that was within the doctrine of the church. She also told him that I could be an author one day after I had been a doctor."

He pulled her into a hug as they watched the moonlight reflecting off the pool water. "You'll have to let me read some of these stories some day." He kissed the top of her head. They heard the ten o'clock alarm ring through the common areas alerting them that it was time for them to go to their rooms. "How about we meet right here before breakfast tomorrow? We can have all the pancakes we can eat before we go save the world."

"Dusty, that sounds wonderful." She kissed him softly. "I'll see you in the morning."

He waved as she got on the elevator. He ran to the payphone trying to dig out a quarter so he could call the one person with the answers to his questions. As the phone rang a second time, he started to cuss. "Damn it, Harrington! Answer the phone!"

"Hello?" Dustin could tell that he had woken Steve up.

"Were you asleep? It's only 10 pm!"

"Henderson, why aren't you trying to solve the problems of the world?" Steve sat up in, rubbing his eyes. Another night alone in this big house. No telling where his parents were and they didn't care where he was. "What is wrong? Do I need to come get you?"

Dustin took a deep breath. "No, I need some advice." He paused to look around and make sure none of the adults could see him on the phone. "I walked in and Suzie's here. We just ate dinner together and had a wonderful time but how do I make the time we have together even more special?"

Steve took a minute to really think about what Dustin was asking. "Ok, so you're in Peoria...What the Hell is there to do in Peoria? How much actual alone time will you two have? And will you be able to leave the hotel?"

Dustin looked around to make sure the coast was clear of people again. "We're meeting up for breakfast before opening groups. Then we'll have lunch in the hotel together and groups again. Then we have a meet and greet this evening instead of a dinner."

"Henderson, I have never been to a nerd convention so explain 'meet and greet' to me."

"It's like a party type thing where they'll have snack foods and punch and we're supposed to walk around and meet the kids from the other schools but I just want to hang with her."

"Ok, then all I can tell you to do is make the most of the time you have together. Talk to her, listen to what she says, steal some time away from everyone else and … well, you know. You do KNOW, right?"

"Yes, asshole. We've made out before." Dustin looked at his watch and knew he was cutting his time short. "That is what you mean, right?"

Steve pondered if he should say it but he knew that Dustin didn't have a man in his life that he could talk to about these things. "Yes and no. You're in a hotel, miles away from home with a girl you won't get to see next week. I'm just saying if things start getting hotter than just touching and kissing, make sure you have protection and her permission. I put ten dollars in your bag. I'm sure there is a little store in the lobby. Buy some condoms and just stash one in your wallet just in case things get hot."

"Good Lord, Steve…I mean we're not...You don't think...WHAT?" Dustin stopped. He was freaking out on the inside just thinking how much further that is than he was thinking. He thought about how he felt when she was around and how he wouldn't hate touching her like that. He was 14 and rumors are that Steve had already gone all the way by his age with Tracey Powers. So it wasn't out of the question as something they might do. "Ok, I'll pick up some right now and then go from there."

"Call me when you get a chance tomorrow in case you need more advice. I'm going to hang out with Robin before work but we'll be at work until midnight tomorrow."

"Thanks, Steve." Dustin hung up the phone and walked straight to the concierge desk. The guy behind the counter didn't look much older than Steve. Dustin took a deep breath to calm himself. "Excuse me. Could you help me with something?"

The guy looked up and gave Dustin a bored look. "Whatcha need?"

Dustin blushed over and didn't know if he could say it out loud. "My older brother said that I could come ask for help finding some … well I need some… well you see there's this girl."

The guy smiled big and just nodded his head. He thought back to the first time he needed to buy some 'supplies' and how cool the guy behind the counter was. Time to pay it forward. "Say no more, dude. I got you. Come this way." He walked Dustin around to a little store counter that had travel items and some cold drinks for the patrons to buy. "First time?" Dustin nodded meekly. "Ok, then these will work for you?" He handed Dustin a small box. "This is a travel size so there are only 4 in there. There are also instructions on how to put it on but I think you'll understand what to do when the time comes." He winked at Dustin as he shook his head. "Nope, this one's on me, dude. You keep your money and have a good time." Dustin put the box and his money back in his pocket and went to the elevators.

Dustin opened the room door slowly expecting his roommate to be in there sleeping, but he heard the shower running so he entered and knocked on the bathroom door. "Hey, I don't want to scare you but I'm your roommate. Just wanted to let you know I'm here now." He heard what he thought was an acknowledgment to his knock. Not knowing who was in the shower, he decided to change into his pajamas before his roommate came out. He quickly stuffed the box he had just gotten in the side pocket of his bag before crawling into bed. As he lay there listening to the water running in the shower and the whirl of the air conditioner, his eyes got heavy until he drifted off.

She shyly got out of the shower now truly scared about all of this. She stood there in the bathroom shivering thinking about Dustin just beyond that door and him not knowing she was his roommate. She had planned this whole thing and he had no idea. _Would he totally freak out? Would he ask for another room? Would he just… _She could not get herself to finish that last thought. She took a deep breath, got dressed in her best nightgown, and opened the door to hear him snoring. She smiled as she tiptoed into the room. She knew she should just let him sleep but she had thought about this moment for months. _Just one small kiss then get in your bed. You can surprise him in the morning. _She leaned over and kissed him lightly on the lips. She smiled as he snored softly. She wasn't paying attention to the lamp on the nightstand when she went to stand up and sent it crashing to the floor.

Dustin sat up with a fright. "Damn it, dude, can't you see someone's trying to ….SUZIE?" He grabbed the blanket trying to cover himself. "What are you doing in my room?"

She flopped down defeated on her bed. This is not how she planned anything. "I'm your roommate for the convention, Dusty Bun. I just thought…" He didn't let her finish. He reached over and pulled her onto the bed with him. Kissing her all over her face, making her laugh and smile. "I guess you're ok with this arrangement?"

He sat back against the headboard. "OK? You literally have just made my whole week. The bus I rode up from Hawkins had a broken air conditioner and I sat next to a guy who was eating salami the whole way up here. That smell alone made me rethink my whole diet. Then I get here and find out I have a roommate when Mom paid for me to have a single. Yeah, I was pissed but I knew I was going to dinner with you so I thought 'just ignore him and make it through these few days.' I was just hoping he wasn't a total spaz." He paused while she giggled. "Then I call Steve to get some advice on how to make these few days special for you and of course he suggest sex."

"Sex? Oh I wasn't…"

"No no no, I was thinking the same thing! I love you, Suzie Poo but I'm not going to do ANYTHING until you are 100% ready. I mean we're only 14 and to be honest, your dad would kill me." Dustin watched as her face changed.

"Yeah he would be pissed to find out I had sex before I got married." She thought about it but knew she wasn't ready yet. "But I'm not 100% ready yet. I hope you understand." She said meekly as he smiled back at her.

Dustin leaned over and kissed her lightly on her lips. He stared into her eyes. "I SO understand and respect that." She smiled back at him, relieved that he was not the guys she went to school with who did nothing but think about how to get the next girl in bed. "Why don't you go get your journal and we can lay here in bed and you can read me our adventures in the shire?"

She jumped up to get her journal as Dustin rearranged the pillows and sheets in him bed. He rolled down the covers and she slipped into the bed next to him with a smile on her face she couldn't possibly wipe off. She adjusted her glasses as she opened up to one of her favorites. "In the land of Shire, Susanette and Dustibo wake up to the sounds of horns announcing the coming of the King. This could only mean there was a quest to be had. And this quest must be one that only a hobbit could accomplish. Today was their day and they were going to make the most of it."

Dustin smiled. "Dustibo kissed Susanette on her little nose." She giggled as he kissed her on her nose. "And said, 'Make haste fine lady. The King approaches and we need to be ready to slay the dragons ahead of us. Let's get first breakfast ready to greet him.' He jumped from their bed and danced around, making her laugh at the sight of his naked bum."

She laughed. "Oh Dusty Bun, that's hilarious! I might have to add that to the story."

He kissed her again this time more passionate than he had ever kissed her before. "I hope you do." He took a deep breath as he thought about the girl in front of him as more than just a girl. He brushed her hair over her ear and whispered. "I love you, Suzie. I truly do and I do want to make love to you. But only when you are ready. I want you to be comfortable and feel safe with me."

She pulled back to look him in the eyes. "Thank you so much, Dustin. I love you, too." She set the journal down as she kissed him again. She smiled at him when they broke their kiss. "Let me sleep here tonight and hopefully we can use those condoms in your bag before we get on the buses to go home." She cuddled up next to him as he turned off the lights, just enjoying the moment with her in his arms.


End file.
